Visakhapatnam: Women have been making faster strides in the state’s political landscape by occupying several prominent positions. The ruling YSRC, which took the lead in promoting and encouraging women in politics, offered women as many as 24 seats for contest this time. The 3-party alliance of TD, BJP and Jana Sena offered women 18 constituencies.
Minister RK Roja, an actress-turned politician, leads the YSRC pack. Some 19 YSRC women are contesting for the assembly and five for the Lok Sabha. Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi, Cheti Tanuja Rani, Guduri Uma Bala, Joladarasi Santha are named for the LS fray.
Reddy Shaanti, Piriya Vijaya, Nagulapalli Dhanalakshmi, Pamula Pushpasreevani, Viswasarayi Kalavathi, Vanga Geetha, Taneti Vanita, Tellam Rajyalakshmi, Mekathoti Sucharitha, Vidala Rajini, Murugudu Lavanya, Shaik Noori Fatima, Kalathur Krupalakshmi, RK Roja, Dasari Sudha, Butta Renuka, Kanagati Sreedevi, and KV Ushashri Charan are being fielded for the assembly seats.
The TD-Jana Sena-BJP alliance has fielded 18 women candidates. They are Kothapalli Geeta, Dagupati Purandeswari, Joyakka Jagadeshwari, Gummadi Sandhya Rani, Vangalapudi Anita, Yanamala Divya, Tangirala Sowmya, Nelavela Vijaysree, Akhila Priya Reddy, Bandaru Sravani Sree, and Sunitha, Lokam Madhavi Reddy, Bhuma Akhila Priya Reddy, Gouru Chartiha Reddy, Savitha, Kurugondala Lakshmi Priya, Geetha Jayasuriya, Sindhura Reddy and Yashoda Devi.
In the 2019 elections, 15 women from the TD, 12 from the YSRC and 8 from Jana Sena were in the fray. Out of these, YSRC's Nagulapalli Dhanalakshmi, Taneti Vanita, Vidala Rajini, Vundavall Sridevi, R K Roja, Pamula Pushpa Sreevani, Jonnalagadda Padmavathy, Sucharitha Mekathoti, K Sreedevi and Otaggulli Bhagya Lakshmi from the YSRC won the polls.
From the TD, M Suguna and Adireddy Bhavani won their seats.
However, the number of women MLAs has decreased in recent years. The rate of victory for women in the 2019 elections was 6 per cent, down from 10 per cent in 2014.
Notably, the ruling YSRC has not fielded a single woman candidate in Nellore district for the assembly elections this time. The Telugu Desam gave tickets to three women in the district.
TD candidates Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy (Kovur), Kurukondla Lakshmi Priya (Venkatagiri) and Nelavala Vijayasree (Sullurupeta) are new to electoral politics, but are hailing from families with a political legacy. Prashanthi Reddy is a homemaker, Lakshmi Priya an entrepreneur and Vijayasree a medical professional.
Despite the increased representation, the fall in ratio of women winning elections remains a concern. The 2024 elections will be a test of whether this trend will change or not.
